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07/04/2005: "Project Baseball: Part 19"
I had already seen the Marlins play at Shea this year, and A.J. Burnett tossed a complete game. So when Eric asked me to join him for a Saturday afternoon in Flushing, I wasn't sure if I wanted to go. But it was supposed to be a not-too-hot day, and I was reminded that, living in Queens, I would have a short trip to Shea.
So I went, and I'm glad I did. I got to see some phenomenal pitching and a game that was also unbelievably fast, giving me time to come home before going to work. The lesson, as always, is don't turn down tickets to a baseball game.
July 3
Marlins at Mets
Seats: Mezzanine Box 530 (left of home plate)
Who I Went With: Eric
Hot Dogs: 1
Beers: 0
Game Highlight: Dontrelle Willis' entire day was a highlight. After loading the bases with one out in the first inning, he set down 26 of the remaining 28 Mets to face him in a three-hit, 3-0 complete game effort. And effort is a strong word. For most of the afternoon, he was just toying with the Mets and having a good time out there. It was one of the best pitching performances I've ever seen in person.
It Was Over When: Willis, who already was staked to a 1-0 lead, got out of that first-inning jam. That was the Mets' chance, and if they didn't get him then, they weren't going to get him. They didn't.
Go To The Ballpark & See Something You've Never Seen Before: It's a Dontrelle trifecta. I've never seen that big of a difference between watching someone pitch on TV and in person. Even in the world of crazy windups, Hideo Nomo looks weird both through the cathode ray and through the rods and cones. Willis, with his insane leg kick and limbs flailing everywhere, looks very herky-jerky on TV. In person, though, he was fluid as can be. Everything in his motion happens smoothly, and he's not dragging his arm. The leg kick just tips him back and lets him get power behind his pitches. It was incredible to watch him pitch.
Season Totals (19 Games)
Teams Seen (17 of 30): Angels (1-0), Astros (0-1), Athletics (0-1), Braves (1-0), Cardinals (1-0), Diamondbacks (1-0), Devil Rays (2-0), Mariners (0-2), Marlins (2-0), Mets (3-4), Phillies (1-2), Pirates (0-1), Rangers (0-1), Red Sox (1-1), Reds (0-1), Tigers (0-1), Yankees (6-4)
Hot Dogs: 26.2
Beers: 13
Game Log
Home team in CAPS
April 5: YANKEES 4, Red Sox 3
April 6: Red Sox 7, YANKEES 3
April 13: METS 1, Astros 0 (11)
April 17: Marlins 5, METS 2
April 19: Devil Rays 6, YANKEES 2
April 27: Braves 8, METS 4
April 27: Angels 5, YANKEES 1
May 5: METS 7, Phillies 5
May 7: YANKEES 5, Athletics 0
May 10: YANKEES 7, Mariners 4
May 11: YANKEES 13, Mariners 9
May 15: Cardinals 4, METS 2
May 18: METS 10, Reds 6
May 25: YANKEES 4, Tigers 2
June 6: Diamondbacks 10, PHILLIES 8
June 7: PHILLIES 8, Rangers 5
June 14: YANKEES 9, Pirates 0
June 22: Devil Rays 5, YANKEES 3
July 3: Marlins 3, METS 0
Games decided in the 8th inning or later: 4 of 19
Home Runs (47)
Bobby Abreu, Phillies (off Ron Mahay)
Garret Anderson, Angels (off Mike Mussina)
Rod Barajas, Rangers (off Jon Lieber)
Wilson Betemit, Braves (off Tom Glavine)
Bret Boone, Mariners (off Carl Pavano)
Hank Blalock, Rangers (off Jon Lieber)
Mike Cameron, Mets (off Matt Morris and Danny Graves)
Sean Casey, Reds (off Tom Glavine)
Jose Cruz Jr., Diamondbacks (off Geoff Geary)
Victor Diaz, Mets (off A.J. Burnett)
Steve Finley, Angels (off Mike Mussina)
Cliff Floyd, Mets (off Mike Hampton)
Jason Giambi, Yankees (off Hideo Nomo)
Jonny Gomes, Devil Rays (off Carl Pavano)
Nick Green, Devil Rays (off Carl Pavano)
Ken Griffey Jr., Reds (off Manny Aybar)
Raul Ibanez, Mariners (off Carl Pavano)
Derek Jeter, Yankees (off Keith Foulke and Matt Thornton)
Andruw Jones, Braves (off Heath Bell)
John Mabry, Cardinals (off Aaron Heilman)
Tino Martinez, Yankees (off Tim Wakefield, Joe Blanton, Aaron Sele and Matt Thornton)
Hideki Matsui, Yankees (off Matt Clement, Kip Wells)
Doug Mientkiewicz, Mets (off Mike Hampton)
David Ortiz, Red Sox (off Carl Pavano)
Eddie Perez, Braves (off Tom Glavine)
Eduardo Perez, Devil Rays (2 off Randy Johnson)
Mike Piazza, Mets (off Tim Worrell)
Jorge Posada, Yankees (off J.J. Putz)
Alex Rodriguez, Yankees (off Tim Wakefield and Jarrod Washburn)
Jimmy Rollins, Phillies (off Mike DeJean)
Reggie Sanders, Cardinals (off Aaron Heilman)
Richie Sexson, Mariners (off Carl Pavano)
Gary Sheffield, Yankees (off Matt Thornton, Scott Kazmir)
Ichiro Suzuki, Mariners (off Carl Pavano)
Jason Varitek, Red Sox (off Mariano Rivera)
Chris Woodward, Mets (off Eric Milton)
David Wright, Mets (off Danny Graves)
Michael Young, Rangers (off Rheal Cormier)
Three-Hit Games (17)
Garret Anderson, Angels (April 27)
Sean Casey, Reds (May 18 -- five hits)
Derek Jeter, Yankees (April 19)
Andruw Jones, Braves (April 27)
Kenny Lofton, Phillies (June 6, June 7)
Hideki Matsui, Yankees (April 5)
Kevin Millar, Red Sox (April 6)
Bill Mueller, Red Sox (April 5)
David Ortiz, Red Sox (April 6)
Mike Piazza, Mets (May 5 -- four hits, May 18 -- four hits)
Jorge Posada, Yankees (May 11)
Jose Reyes, Mets (May 18)
Jimmy Rollins, Phillies (June 6)
Gary Sheffield, Yankees (April 27)
Ichiro Suzuki, Mariners (May 11)
Three-RBI Games (17)
Garret Anderson, Angels (April 27)
Miguel Cabrera, Marlins (April 17)
Sean Casey, Reds (May 18 -- four RBI)
Nick Green, Devil Rays (June 22)
Shawn Green, Diamondbacks (June 6 -- four RBI)
Raul Ibanez, Mariners (May 11)
John Mabry, Cardinals (May 15)
Tino Martinez, Yankees (May 11)
Hideki Matsui, Yankees (May 11)
Eduardo Perez, Devil Rays (April 19)
Mike Piazza, Mets (May 5)
Placido Polanco, Phillies (June 7)
Alex Rodriguez, Yankees (May 7)
Jimmy Rollins, Phillies (May 5)
Richie Sexson, Mariners (May 11)
Chase Utley, Phillies (June 6)
Gary Sheffield, Yankees (May 11)
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